Liberty Minute November 14 2013

America?s prison industry has reached another thoroughly regrettable milestone.

Commentator Saki Knafo observes: ?If sitting in a prison cell was a job, it would be one of the most common jobs in the United States. In 2012, there were some 1,570,000 inmates in state and federal prisons in the U.S., according to data from the Justice Department. By contrast, there were about 1,530,000 engineers in America last year, 815,000 construction workers, and 1 million high school teachers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.?

This comparison omits those who are in county jails, as well as on probation and parole. Once these groups are included, the total, as of 2009, swells to an estimated 7.1 million Americans ? one out of every 31 people living in this country.

The most significant factor abetting the growth of the prison population is the so-called war on drugs. It is also quite common for prosecutors to pursue punishment for trivial infractions ? such as the recent case of Texas resident Jory Enck, who was arrested and jailed for an overdue library book.

Perhaps the only thing that can arrest the growth of the prison industry would be fully informed juries who understand, and exercise, their authority to nullify the application of unjust laws.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.